Headline News
Nightwish Singer Anette Olzon Splits With Band
Band Photo: Nightwish (?)
In the midst of the North American tour with Kamelot, Nightwish announced the mutual split with vocalist Anette Olzon due to "conflict in the direction" of the band. The band will proceed with the rest of the North American tour with ReVamp vocalist Floor Jansen on vocals. The joint announcement reads as follows:
"Another chapter of the NIGHTWISH story has ended today. NIGHTWISH and Anette Olzon have decided to part company, in mutual understanding, for the good of all parties involved.
"In recent times it has become increasingly obvious that the direction and the needs of the band were in conflict, and this has led to a division from which we cannot recover.
"NIGHTWISH has no intention of cancelling any upcoming shows, and as a result we have decided to bring in a substitute vocalist starting in Seattle 1.10.2012. Her name is Floor Jansen from the Netherlands (ex-AFTER FOREVER, REVAMP), and she has graciously stepped in to help us complete the ”Imaginaerum” world tour.
"We are all strongly committed to this journey, this vehicle of spirit, and we are sure that this will lead to a brighter future for everyone.
"We forever remain excited about the adventures to come, and we are extremely proud of the two beautiful albums and the wonderful shows we shared together.
"NIGHTWISH & Anette Olzon"
A couple of nights ago, Annette Olzon fell ill prior to the show in Denver and was briefly hospitalized. The show proceeded with Kamelot guest vocalists Elize Ryd (Amaranthe) and Alissa White-Gluz (The Agonist) filling in.
What's Next?
- Previous Article:
Anathema Posts Road Report - Next Article:
Bloodbound Posts "Metalheads Unite" Lyric Video
47 Comments on "Anette Olzon Departs Nightwish"
Post your comments and discuss the article below! (no login required)
The decision wasn't health related. She was ill for the Denver show so Kamelot singers performed for her. Apparently Anette wasn't aware of that and she got mad. They had one more show after that, and now she has decided to leave NW.
And if u bought a ticket for a show after Oct. 1st, then it will be Floor who will be singing.
I'm looking forward to see Floor perform tho, she's more Tarja style :)
I just saw them in Chicago a few days ago. Anette was awesome. I've seen them perform with Anette 4 times now and this one was the best.
I wonder if she did quit because they didn't cancel the show cuz she was sick? Some people online were posting comments like "well if Tuomas was sick they wouldn't have just brought someone else on...". On Anette's personal blog she also mentioned that she wasn't happy that the other two singers filled in for her. Maybe she feels easily replaceable?
Does everyone in bands just know each other? lol. Floor is immediately available to fill in for her? Did NW just give her a call? Or was this something they were planning for a while? I know in the European power metal scene they all kind work together and forum supergroups and stuff so maybe they do know each other.
I saw them at Pop;s in Illinois less than a week ago and Anette didn't do the meet and greet because she said she was afraid of storms. She also had another child recently and was working on a solo album, plus hired her own manager. None of which screams commitment. The rest of the band is a tight nit unit and probably expect their singer to be a part of that not just the singer.
Yeah she said on her blog that she was hiding in her bus because she was afraid of thunder or something like that.
How was the meet and greet? How much time did you get to talk to them, etc?
As far as I know, Tuomas and the rest of the band were happy with her sound and how she was fitting into the band. The more I think about it, the more I bet her leaving the band was somehow related to them having Elise and Alica fill in for her when she was in the hospital, which she was not ok with according to her blog.
From looking at the various blogs from her and others she had a CT scan as they thought she was suffering from a kidney stone. Not a kidney stone, but a they found a cyst (possible cancer) on her liver. In my thoughts, she pulled out from several things: 1. the cyst needs to be looked at quickly to determine if it is liver cancer or something else. 2. the stress of traveling with her baby and performing was getting to her. 3. Yes being suddenly replace when she had to go to the ER that night, knowing she could be replaced at any time.
My intentions and prayers are with her to be healed. Then we can look forward to her next performances.
Member
From what I know, it's nothing like the nightmare Tarja Turunen situation where the Nightwish guys couldn't even reach their singer for 6months, far from it, but I think the reality of the situation is, Olzen didn't quite realise what she got herself into joining Nightwish.
You know, Olzon is a 41-year-old mother of two, her youngest son being barely 2 and she's also having some health issues as well. So, her leaving the band makes perfect sense (to me, at least).
IF she did leave the band because she got replaced for few shows - which I find very hard to believe - then Nightwish made the wrong choice by asking her to join the band in the first place.
Shame. I did like Olzen in the band over that idiot Turunen. This was possibly the final blow to Nightwish. Oh well, at least Tarja will be happy (and now we get endless amount of Tarja's "I could see this coming" interviews in the following weeks. Oh yawn....)
Well well well, so once Annette got ill Tuomas didn't wait long to ditch her in favor for any replacement that's out there to step into same s**t. Now this throws a bit of different light on their breakup wiht Tarja.
Of course, they've got shows to play - money to make!
But, look for example at Slayer and Hanneman situation - they didn't reject him entirely even though he's incapable to play for more than a year now. Still they wait for his return.
Member
BG1, we're definitely on the same page on this one. The way I see it, a pro band should do whatever they can so they wouldn't have to cancel shows, assuming they can throw good gigs with the replacement(s).
Saur, what are you on about?
Tuomas and Co didn't ditch anyone, they found replacements for individual shows. It was Annette who left the band, she wasn't fired / ditched.
Her decision, not theirs.
When comes to Tarja, I don't know all the details, what I Do know is she didn't communicate with the guys in the band for close to 6months.
Apparently Tarja didn't answer their calls, emails etc, it was her husband/manager who responded them in the "she will get back to you if she is interested" manner while Tarja was living with him in Argentina.
Let me ask you, what can 4 guys in a band do when their singer is MIA for 6months with no contact, no response to their emails, calls, no communication or guarantee she will ever get back to them?
As for Slayer, I don't quite understand that reference either. They replaced Hanneman with Holt for the shows so Hanneman would have the time to recover 100%.
They will get an unknown as a replacement. This guy in charge of Nightwish seems like a power monger and probably doesn't want someone like Floor joining permanently to shake the nest and possibly turn on him.
Glad I never was a fan. But this is the case for goth metal/female frontal nudity bands.
hoooooly sh**......coco did not see this coming....haha
imaginaerum was coco favorite nightwish album with anette olzon, of course this sh** doesn't compare with Once from nightwish with tarja, but coco thinks, they were going on a good path with imaginaerum....
but this may be a chance for da band to redeem themselves and bring back tarja.....
tarja >; annette always......
Just got back from the Seattle concert. Flor is cross between Tarja and Annette. The only drawback I had with her singing is that the sound guys keep pulling back on her mic so she was so quiet. And the sound guys jacked up the bass so even my clothing vibrated with the music (that is a feature of The Showbox in SoDo which has horrible acoustics).
She did fumble a few of the lines, I guess being nervous for not really practicing with the group before the show. She did take a lot of queues from the band.
I think she will do a great. Just give her a few concerts to get it down pat.
My views on Nightwish:
Both Tarja & Anette each brought
a unique element to the band...
To say compare Tarja & Anette is not fair to either one...
If it was my band, I would want the band to play on if it was possible, the show must go on...
I met Anette once in 2007, she seemed very friendly.
However the DVD with the "Made in Hong Kong" CD,
showed her in a different light. She came across as a bit egotistical...
Reading her reaction to the show going on without her, confirms that attitude, in my opinion...
I think since the show was able to happen,
and the fans enjoyed it, I don't see any actual
reason for anyone to be angry...
As for Nightwish's future,
Floor Jensen would be a good choice,
I could also see them working with Jonsu again,
or even Anneke van Giersbergen...♠
I was at the Denver show, so let me cast a little speculative light.
The band's comment and thanks to Denver came off as fairly subdued compared to what happened there. They explained the situation, then put the question of whether to on without Annette to the crowd, and I don't think there was one dissenting vote. It was thunderous.
What followed was an unexpected triumph, of the sort that blows bands' minds. The vocalists had lyric sheets and went out live to sing material they'd never performed, live, to a crowd that Kamelot had ramped through the rafters. They had to totally alter their set list to compensate, including setting up Troy on stage for the entire second half of the set, where he tore the place up on the pipes, though he's never had that weight put on him by the band. (His line "Yeah, I had to change my Pampers before I came on.")
Despite the tribulations in such a radical change on the fly, the crowd was SO supportive! For our unwavering support of the band we got a surprisingly interactive, engaged set with songs they wouldn't have played otherwise.
By the end, what Nightwish gave us was one of those remarkable triumphs against adversity that the entire crowd participated in (at the top of their lungs). The band was effusive in their praise at the end... bowing to the crowd as tears streamed down Eliza's face for the glowing reception.
I'd bet the band went on and on about it... I would have... and Annette felt hurt for having missed it, and must have reacted badly and vocally to the combination of that and having just survived a trying time.
Personally, I'm as 100% behind the band as I was at the show. The show must go on. They asked the crowd. Then they turned in a remarkable show that made us all feel like we had a part in helping them to and through it.
Annette was just wrong. The band did what professional bands do. They play. WHATEVER.
Thanks, Nightwish, for one of those concert moments that lives with you forever.
Member
BG1, LOL, nah man. Saur's English is too good for that to be the case ;)
Btw, as for Tarja, guess what was her first reaction to the departure of Olzon?
"Not suprised" and "I could see this coming"...LOL ;)
I could see THIS coming as well...
Oh yeah, She DID tell she would return to Nightwish under certain conditions though. Her conditions are:
None of the present band members would be in Nightwish, and the band should have an entirely new management team as well.
Right on, Tarja. Right on. Modesty is beautiful.
@Wolf7 I don't blame her in the least. First of all, she wasn't saying she'd actually return to Nightwish under those conditions, she was basically saying on a cold day in hell she'd rejoin. Secondly, they completely blindsided her then did the best they could to publicly humiliate her - she's exactly right in making the comments she did.
Aside from that, YAY, Anette's gone. Like Tarja, I am not surprised in the least. That chick had WAY too much ego to be around an egomaniacal control freak like Tuomas. Not saying he's not utterly brilliant, cuz he is - just sayin. ;)
An amazing testimony of a spell caster who help me get my husband back,who left me with two kids April last year to me
i thank you so much the great Aribo of ogun shrine for
bringing back my family i am great full and will always be if you also
need his help his email( faraspiritualtemple@gmail.com )
My name is Ruth Walter i am from UK i want to share my happiness with the general public of what DR fara of Africa has done for me in the last few weeks i was once in love this guy called john we fall in love with each other until traveled out of my state for two year and we promise ourselves to be together forever, but before return from my journey he where now having another lover when i try to come back to he. He told me i should go away i love him so much that i could not let he go just like that then i told a friend about it and she advice me and recommend this man Dr fara for me when i visit he at faraspiritualtemple@gmail.com he only ask me to buy some items for sacrifices to help me get my ex back and he actually did it and it work well and today i am happy with in case any one is out there with same problem or any kind i advice he or she to contact this man today faraspiritualtemple@gmail.com and with what he did for me i believe he can also help you thank once again.
Ruth Walter.
Supporter
Annette did NOT have a better voice than Tarja- not even close. "Annoying and opera-like?" I didn't realize only singers who sound and act like Dixie Chick rejects were of value. Annette's not even in Tarja's class, and frankly, neither is Floor: she's just a pale imitation of Tarja.
Hey crushem, I have seen After Forever with Floor as support for Nightwish with Tarja. No way Floor is a pale imitation of Tarja. Floor was the much better singer that evening and Tarja was second division where Floor was first division. Have you ever seen Floor perform live to judge her?
After being in relationship with him for ten years,he broke up with me,I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wantedhim back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should rather contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that never believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I mailed the spell caster, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex
called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made promise that anybody I know that have a relationship problem, I would be of help to such person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email is (shamuspiritaultemple@gmail.com) you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything.
Wow. I saw Nightwish in Worcester (Massachusetts) only a few weeks ago and they put on a great show. That said, though I like Anete and the two albums they did with her, Tarja was just on a whole other level. And so was the band's sound, since Tuomas was writing for that incredible voice. I hate to see Anete go, and I certainly hope the best for her health, I would not be unhappy at all to see NW find a new permanent singer whose voice and style is more like Tarja's, and hope the music goes back in that direction too.
Member
I am a spellcaster and I can keep your husband/boyfriend from sneaking around on you. Just bury his dirty underwear in the front yard at exactly midnight on a full moon. He'll never be able to leave the house to cheat on you again. My spell is free, so take it and STFU and GTFO.
To minimize comment spam/abuse, you cannot post comments on articles over a month old. Please check the sidebar to the right or the related band pages for recent related news articles.
Senior Reviewer
Wow -- Did not see that coming... I really liked this era of Nightwish. I wish Annette well with her treatments and recovery, as well as Nightwish in moving forward with a different vocalist.
Hell, if they kept Floor on permanently, I wouldn't mind -- She's impressive, just more Tarja-like and less poppy. Not sure if Tuomas and the guys wanted to head back in that direction.